Next Halloween, expect new, improved and returning favorites from Mars Chocolate North America. In 2012, Mars’ Halloween chocolate items maintained significant distribution increases throughout the season, and the company had five of the top 10 selling items (IRI MULOC 2012). Consumers have multiple Halloween needs—from decorating, snacking and baking to parties and trick-or-treating. Mars answers

New store features more square footage focused on fresh food, expanded product options and sustainability. Kum & Go has announced the opening of a new Kum & Go store today in Muskogee, Okla. at 2400 E. Hancock Road. This newly constructed store replaces an older store that had been located at 2301 S. York St.

By: David Hochman, founder of DJH Marketing Communications Inc. As is (sometimes painfully) obvious, today’s C-Store customer enjoys the benefits an ever-expanding number of choices with regards to their C-Store visits. Most locations drawing from the same pool of employees and categories, and pricing competition just creates a “race to the bottom” environment. One of

Program in partnership with ‘The President’s Challenge’ rewards healthy choices. TravelCenters of America LLC (TravelCenters) operator of the TA and Petro Stopping Centers travel center brands, has launched its ‘Get Moving. Stay Fit.’ Program designed to help professional drivers live a healthier lifestyle by focusing on nutrition and physical fitness. The program was designed in

Public relations agency wins Best in Show for the second year in a row with Kangaroo Express Roo Cup campaign. Largemouth Communications, a full-service public relations firm based in Raleigh-Durham, earned “Best in Show” for the second year in a row—this year for its creativity and meaningful client results around the Kangaroo Express Roo Cup

Susser Holdings Corp. has completed the refinancing of $425 million of 8.5% senior notes due 2016 using approximately $235 million of capacity under its recently expanded $500 million revolving credit facility, along with available cash. The notes were called at a price of 104.25%. Including the $18.1 million call premium and approximately $4 million of

Three Elliott Capital Management nominees to join Hess board, while Hess splits roles of chairman and CEO. Hess and Elliott Capital Management have reportedly reached an agreement that gives board seats to three nominees by the activist hedge fund, News & Observer Online reported. Hess Corp. on Thursday reported that in return for the addition

New Mocksville, N.C. site includes a sit down restaurant and a fully-stocked travel store, among other features. TravelCenters of America LLC (TravelCenters), operator of the TA and Petro Stopping Centers travel center brands, has announced the acquisition and rebranding of the newest TA travel center, located at I-40, Exit 170 (1670 U.S. Hwy 601 North)

Business leader and best-selling author Chip Conley will be an Opening General Session speaker for the NACS Show. The 2013 NACS Show is set to feature a 392,000-net-square-foot exposition, making it the largest NACS Show expo ever. This year’s NACS Show will take place Oct. 12-15 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. A

Children of National Advisory Group members have until Friday, June 7 to apply. By Tom McIntyre, Publisher As many of you know and remember from past affiliation, The National Advisory Group (NAG) is a top organization of hard-working executives from small- to medium-sized chains whose mission is to help other convenience store executives build profits

While c-stores in the state can sell cold wine, with a higher alcohol content than beer, they are currently restricted from selling cold beer. The Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association (IPCA) and three of its member companies have filed a lawsuit against the State of Indiana for the right to sell cold beer.

Women outpace men when it comes to convenience snacking, according to NPD report. The typical American eats more than 1,000 snack-oriented convenience foods throughout the year, and kids and teens are the heaviest users of this assortment of snacks, which include fresh fruit, sweet, and savory snacks, reports The NPD Group, a global information company.

SmartPay Check-Link payment program celebrates savings milestone just four months after launch. Cumberland Farms has announced that its customers have saved $1 million on gas since the launch of its free SmartPay Check-Link payment program in January. The program lets customers pay for gas and in-store purchases using their mobile phones or with a payment

Shell $aver cardholders can save on fuel if Helio Castroneves pilots No. 3 Car to Victory Lane at the Indianapolis 500. Shell is extending its WINsday promotion into the world of IndyCar for the Indianapolis 500. If Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves notches a win during the historic IZOD IndyCar Series race, current Shell $aver

Olives to serve as director of fuels, a newly created position at Rutter’s. Convenience store industry veteran Gabe Olives has joined Rutter’s Farm Stores as director of fuels. Olives has extensive experience in the c-store industry, more than 25 years with Turkey Hill Minit Markets, and will bring his expertise in strategic planning, project management,

The 17th annual “Clean the D” event drives community clean-up effort. On Saturday, May 4, CITGO and five of its local Detroit Marketers teamed up with the Eight Mile Boulevard Association (8MBA), the Miss Michigan Organization and 450 community volunteers to beautify the Eight Mile corridor in Detroit. Now in its 17th year, volunteers tackled

By Brian L. Milne, Energy Editor, Schneider Electric A 1.8-cent gain in the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) U.S. retail price average for regular grade gasoline for the week-ended May 6 halted a string of weekly increases in the average that dated back to late February, while lifting the average off a 14-week low. At $3.538

Buys Northeast and Mid-Atlantic locations for $72.5 Million. Getty Realty Corp. has acquired 36 properties located in the metro New York and Washington, D.C. Beltway regions for approximately $72.5 million in two sale/leaseback transactions with Capitol Petroleum Group LLC. The acquisition includes 16 Mobil branded properties in metro New York, and 13 Exxon and seven

“I am honored to receive this recognition from ExecRank as one of the nation’s top private company CEOs,” says Petrowski. Joe Petrowski, CEO of The Cumberland Gulf Group, has been selected by ExecRank, the nation’s definitive ranking service of executives, as one of the nation’s “Top Private Company CEOs” for 2012. The rankings are the

“We are committed to being part of the solution,” says Coca Cola Co. CEO. The Coca-Cola Co. has announced four global business commitments to further contribute to healthier, happier, and more active communities. These commitments, which apply to the more than 200 countries where the soft drink giant does business, are to: • Offer low- or

Server Products fills director of sales and marketing and international sales manager positions. Server Products has promoted Jim Drake to director of sales and marketing, and hired Rafael Dingui Jr. as international sales manager. In the capacity of director of sales & marketing, Drake will be responsible for domestic and international sales and marketing

The Tech Event took place May 6-9 in Dallas, Texas at the Hilton Anatole. New this year, the Tech Event combined NACStech and the PCATS (Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards) Winter Meeting into one event intended to deliver new ideas and opportunities to connect with industry peers. Breakout sessions included topics such as the

Mobile text program joins forces with GasBuddy. Thorntons Inc. has relaunched its Gas Price Alert text program with new and improved features hosted by GasBuddy and powered by OpenSource software. The program now has new and expanded market coverage for the chain’s Midwestern and Southeastern customer base. The simple-to-use program requires a one-time participant text

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